[Special Feature: 10th Anniversary of the Faculty of Pharmacy] As a Member of Keio University

2018/10/05

In the spring of 2006, I successfully enrolled in Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy, which was my first choice. However, on a day that autumn, a major event occurred for me. As I was passing by the university bulletin board as usual, a single piece of paper posted there was attracting the attention of many students.

Peering at the notice to see what was happening, I saw an article stating that it had been decided that our Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy would merge with the famous Keio University. Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy was established in 1930, originally as a women's college, and was a single-department college consisting only of the Faculty of Pharmacy. The news that it would merge with Keio University, a comprehensive university that had nine faculties at the time, was a complete bolt from the blue and a shock, but I also remember feeling anticipation about what kind of changes would occur in my future university life.

The first change I was able to experience was the Keio University 150th Anniversary event held when I was a third-year student in the Faculty of Pharmacy. It was held by renting out Tokyo DisneySea, and over 20,000 people participated. It was an overwhelming scale. Those 20,000 people were humming "Wakaki-chi" without even looking at the lyrics. They must have a sense of affection and pride for "Keio University." I felt firsthand that I had become a member of it, and I felt my world expanding.

After graduation, I have been engaged in pharmaceutical development at a pharmaceutical company. My main duties involve confirming the efficacy and safety of drugs before they are marketed through clinical trials in humans, until obtaining manufacturing and marketing approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. It is a job that involves interacting with many stakeholders both inside and outside the company, and those stakeholders include many graduates. Conversations flow easily between Keio University alumni, and thanks to that, I am able to carry out my work very smoothly. It is surprising that the world that expanded during my student days is now influencing my professional life. In fact, I received the opportunity to write this piece because a doctor at a hospital I worked with was one of the Keio University alumni.

Looking back now, the university merger was a very lucky opportunity for me. At the same time, when I think that my world might have expanded even further if I had acted more proactively during the period when I was initially overwhelmed, I feel nothing but regret.

Based on what I learned during my time at university, I now make an effort to interact proactively with people inside and outside the company in my current work to ensure my world continues to expand. My mission is to continue to strive in my work and deliver new medicines as quickly as possible.